Ray Lesniak, the longtime Democratic state Senator from Union County who is a favorite of proponents of expanded gambling in New Jersey – and not so popular among opponents of same – on Monday announced his re-election bid in spite of a health scare last year.

Lesniak, who turns 67 in May, has served in the state Senate in Trenton since 1983 after a pair of two-year terms in the Assembly:

Lesniak, an attorney, filed the original suit against a 1992 Congressional law barring the state from offering the betting – and ultimately got Republican Governor Christie to lead the charge in recent years. The case is now before a U.S. District Court Judge in Trenton.

A bill that would allow all sorts of casino games to be played online again has passed the legislature, where it currently sits on Christie’s desk awaiting signing or veto in the next three weeks or so. Lesniak has led the charge on that one as well.